Latest news with #23andMe
India Today
21 hours ago
- Health
- India Today
Why India needs a Genomic Protection Act now
The recent implosion of 23andMe, a once-celebrated pioneer of direct-to-consumer genetic testing, should not merely be viewed as a Silicon Valley story gone wrong. It is a powerful cautionary tale for India, which now stands on the threshold of a genomic someone deeply involved in precision medicine and longevity care, it is time for India to go beyond fragmented data protection frameworks and enact a dedicated Genomic Protection Act, one that prioritises clinical oversight, ethical stewardship, and individual is a genetic mosaic. With more than 4,000 distinct ethno-linguistic communities, centuries of endogamy, and a vast reservoir of rare variants, our population represents both a treasure trove for research and a potential minefield for exploitation. The collapse of 23andMe was not simply about a business model failing. It was about trust being eroded. It showed what happens when data privacy becomes an afterthought and genetic results are served without medical interpretation, leading not to empowerment, but anxiety. We must not repeat these data is not like browsing history. It cannot be deleted or changed. It holds information not just about the individual, but about their children, communities, and future it's leaked or misused, the consequences are irreversible. In India, where public awareness about data rights is still evolving and health literacy varies greatly, the risks of commodifying DNA are the Digital Personal Data Protection Act is a step forward. But it lacks the nuance and granularity required to govern genomic data, which is fundamentally different from other forms of personal urgently need legislation that defines who owns your genetic data, sets limits on how it can be shared, and ensures consent that is layered and ongoing, not broad and PILLARS OF A GENOMIC PROTECTION ACTClinician-Led Testing: Genomic insights must be contextualised within clinical frameworks. Raw data leads to confusion; interpreted data leads to care. Imagine a longevity screen that integrates a patient's APOE status with cholesterol levels, cognitive assessments, and family history—offering a prevention roadmap, not just a risk percentage. That's precision Data Stewardship: Any storage, transfer, or analysis of genomic data should be governed by ethical boards and protected under encrypted, India-based servers. Data sanctity must not be compromised for commercial Consent and Opt-Out Rights: Individuals should be able to choose what portions of their data are used, for how long, and by whom. Consent should be revocable. An individual must have the right to know who accessed their genome and for what Governance: As India moves into population genomics and public-private collaborations, our policies must ensure that innovation does not outpace regulation. Genomic information must never become a tool for discrimination, be it in insurance, employment, or has the opportunity to construct a gold-standard genomic ecosystem, one that learns from global missteps and roots itself in trust, transparency, and scientific integrity. The collapse of 23andMe is not the end of consumer genomics. It is a wake-up call. We must lead with care, not just not a question of whether India will embrace genomics. The question is whether we will do it responsibly. A Genomic Protection Act is no longer optional. It is essential, for science, for ethics, and for the future of every Indian genome.(Disclaimer: This is an authored article. The views and opinions expressed by the doctors are their independent professional judgement, and we do not take any responsibility for the accuracy of their views. This should not be considered as a substitute for physician's advice.)- Ends
CNET
a day ago
- Business
- CNET
Free Money from 23andMe's Data Breach Settlement: Here's How to File Your Claim
Hackers used a credential stuffing attack to gain access to 23andMe accounts in October 2023. Getty Images/Viva Tung/CNET Ever used 23andMe? Well, now you may be able to get paid as part of the company's ongoing class-action settlement, but you'll have to move quickly. It's been a tough few years for the once-popular ancestry-tracking service, which in 2023 was struck by a prolonged data breach that allowed hackers to gain personal data for about half of the company's 14 million customers. The company has struggled ever since then and filed for bankruptcy in March 2025. It is now being acquired by TTAM Research Institute, a nonprofit led by 23andMe co-founder Anne Wojcicki, which outbid Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. The San Francisco-based company, which allows people to submit genetic materials and get a snapshot of their ancestry, announced in October 2023 that hackers had accessed customer information in a data breach. A January 2024 lawsuit accused the company of not doing enough to protect its customers and not notifying certain customers with Chinese or Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry that their data had been targeted specifically. It later settled the lawsuit for $30 million. "We have executed a settlement agreement for an aggregate cash payment of $30 million to settle all US claims regarding the 2023 credential stuffing security incident," a 23andMe spokesman told CNET. "We continue to believe this settlement is in the best interest of 23andMe customers, and we look forward to finalizing the agreement." A few months after that decision, there's now an official method available to make a claim and potentially get paid by 23andMe, in some cases as much as $10,000. Keep reading to get all the details you need, and for more, find out why T-Mobile settlement checks have been delayed and discover whether you can claim a piece of Apple's Siri privacy settlement. How many people did the 23andMe data breach hit? The settlement could cover roughly 6.9 million 23andMe customers whose data was targeted. To qualify, 23andMe customers must also have been US residents as of Aug. 11, 2023. That 6.9 million number includes around 5.5 million customers of 23andMe's DNA Relatives profiles, which lets people find and connect with genetic relatives. The other 1.4 million people affected by the breach used another service known as Family Tree, which predicts a family tree based on the DNA users share with relatives, 23andMe said. How much money could I get from the settlement? At the top end, 23andMe has said it would pay out up to $10,000 with an "Extraordinary Claim" to each customer who can verify that they suffered hardships as a direct result of their information being stolen in the data breach that resulted in unreimbursed costs. This includes costs from "identity fraud or falsified tax returns," acquiring physical security systems, or receiving mental health treatment. Residents of Alaska, California, Illinois and Oregon who were affected by the data breach can also apply for a payment as part of the proposed settlement, since those states have genetic privacy laws with damages provisions. The payments for these individuals are expected to be around $100, depending on how many people file for them, a settlement document said. Also, a smaller subset of affected users whose personal health information was impacted by the breach will be able to apply for a payment of $100. Infographic: Gianmarco Chumbe/CNET. Photo:Will the 23andMe settlement include anything else? Beyond those payments, 23andMe will also offer impacted users three years of a security monitoring service called Privacy Shield, which filings described as providing "substantial web and dark web monitoring." How can I file a claim for the 23andMe settlement? To file a claim electronically, you can use this official online portal from the Kroll Restructuring Administration. An additional online form is available if you would like proof of your claim sent to you. Potential claimants can also download and print out hard copies of the claim form and proof of claim form if they wish to submit them by mail. If you plan to use this method, send your forms to one of the addresses listed on the claims website. The deadline to make a claim is July 14. For more, you can read about how class action lawsuits work.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Business Daily When a home DNA testing company fails...
What happens to our data once it's been handed over to DNA testing companies? One such firm, 23andMe, filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. The company was set up to help people could track their ancestry - one of a number of similar sites using DNA data to create links and matches between users. However the company has been dogged by privacy concerns over its use of customer information and was fined for a data breach that exposed UK customers. What lessons can be learned now the company's been bought out of bankruptcy by its co-founder? Produced and presented by David Reid (Image: Woman swabbing her mouth for a DNA test. Credit: Getty Images)
New York Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Billy Idol isn't surprised he has a secret son: I had ‘sex with a million people'
Oh, to be a lover. Billy Idol is addressing the realization that he fathered a third child. In a new interview with iNews, the singer, 69, admitted that given his promiscuous lifestyle, he wasn't completely shocked when he found out just a few years ago about his secret son, Brant, who was born in the 1980s. 'Maybe a little bit, but the more I thought about it, I guessed there must be something like that,' he said while laughing, 'because we were going around in the 80s, and 70s, just having knockdown, drag-out sex with a million people you didn't know.' 8 Billy Idol performing at the Pine Knob Music Theater in 1987. Getty Images 8 Billy Idol with his son, Brant Broad. Billy Idol/Facebook 'A lot of people in the rock world got children beyond their usual relationships,' Idol added. Idol went through most of his life believing he was only dad to son Willem Wolfe Broad, 37, with ex Perri Lister and daughter Bonnie Blue Broad, 35, with ex Linda Mathis. But thanks to a 23andMe DNA test, Bonnie discovered her half-brother Brant a couple of years ago. The 'Dancing with Myself' singer found out he fathered Brant with a woman during his 1985 'Rebel Yell' tour. 8 Billy Idol with his son Willem Wolfe. Penske Media via Getty Images 8 Billy Idol's daughter Bonnie with her husband and their two kids. Variety via Getty Images When asked if he's considered he could have other children out there, Idol told iNews: 'I think we would know about them now if there were.' The father-of-three also revealed that Brant works in construction. 'We're quite good friends, and I love him. He's a nice guy,' he said about Brant. 8 Billy Idol on stage at The Forum in Los Angeles in 1984. Sygma via Getty Images Idol, who has four grandchildren, explained that he's now able to be more present for his family. 'I'm all set up for that. I'm in a better place in my life,' he stated. 'In lots of ways, I've done everything I wanted, at least to my own satisfaction. And now I'm not a drug addict, I can really be there for them.' Idol first introduced his secret son to the world in 2023 when Brant joined the rest of the family for Idol's Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony. 8 Billy Idol with his family members at his Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony in January 2023. Getty Images Bonnie spoke about the journey of learning about Brant and welcoming him into the fold in Idol's 'Billy Idol Should Be Dead' documentary, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this month. 'My husband just surprised me with a 23andMe, with a DNA test as a Christmas present,' Bonnie shared in the doc. 'And then a few weeks later, I get the results back on the app and open it and I'm like, who is this? This Brant. And it says his info's like, New York, 1985, looking for my bio dad. I was like, 'What?'' 8 Billy Idol with his son Willem in 1999. Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images Brant, who was raised by a man he believed was his biological father, explained in the doc that his mom eventually told him about her encounter with Idol. 'I was like, 'Mom, is there a chance Mark might not be my biological father?' And she's like, 'Well, it's pretty crazy, but back in the day, we broke up and I actually spent a weekend with Billy Idol,'' Brant recalled. 8 Billy Idol at a hotel in Tokyo in 1984. Getty Images Brant also said that Idol treated him like his son after the truth was revealed. 'He's definitely showed me a lot of love,' Brant added, 'so I'm blessed.'
Tahawul Tech
5 days ago
- Business
- Tahawul Tech
Genomics company fined over data breach
23andMe an American personal genomics and biotechnology company has been fined £2.31m by a UK watchdog over 2023 data breach which saw thousands of customers affected. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) said the DNA testing firm – which has since filed for bankruptcy – failed to put adequate measures in place to secure sensitive user data prior to the incident. 'This was a profoundly damaging breach that exposed sensitive personal information, family histories, and even health conditions', said Information Commissioner John Edwards. 23andMe is set to be sold to a new owner, TTAM Research Institute – a non-profit biotech organisation led by its co-founder and former chief executive Anne Wojcicki, which said it had 'made several binding commitments to enhance protections for customer data and privacy'. 23andMe's users were targeted by what is known as a 'credential stuffing' attack in October 2023. This saw hackers use passwords exposed in previous breaches to access 23andMe accounts for which people had used the same or similar credentials. They were able to access 14,000 individual accounts – and, through those, download information relating to about 6.9m people linked to as possible relations on the site. According to the ICO, this included access to personal data belonging to 155,592 UK residents, such as names, year of birth, geographical information, profile images, race, ethnicity, health reports and family trees. Stolen data did not include DNA records. 'As one of those impacted told us: once this information is out there, it cannot be changed or reissued like a password or credit card number', said Mr Edwards. Due to its more sensitive nature, genetic data is considered special category data under UK data protection law and requires further protections and safeguards. Firms controlling it should consider having additional security measures in place to help secure it, according to the ICO's guidance. Its investigation – launched along with Canada's privacy commissioner last June – found that 23andMe breached UK data protection law by not having appropriate authentication and verification measures for customers during its login process. This included not having mandatory multi-factor authentication to allow users logging in to verify themselves through additional means or devices. The company also did not have secure password requirements or more verification requirements for users trying to download raw genetic data, it added. Mr Edwards said such failures and delays in resolving them 'left people's most sensitive data vulnerable to exploitation and harm'. 'Their security systems were inadequate, the warning signs were there, and the company was slow to respond,' he said. Source: BBC News Image Credit: Stock Image
